August 12, 2014

Originally posted on Facebook, but with some further additions. Please indulge me.
As much as I hate to be a curmudgeon, I want to put another spin on the "if you're depressed, talk to someone".

Having gone through my own dark night of the soul in recent months, I must admit that it's hard to open up.

Tough to be brave enough to open yourself to someone, especially in an online climate where things get nasty, and an admission of vulnerability can lead to someone snarking, "Oh, let daddy kiss your emotional boo-boos and make them all better".

Even despite the recent upturn in my personal matters, there are things that still linger... I'm still miffed that someone made a crack about me living on the south side of the city - in public. And running some fan-related events the past few weeks have me feeling that although I may love a particular franchise....I can't stand some members of its fandom.

(I can hear Robin making some wisecrack about "Hey, Gordon, great quote! Let's send it to Charlie Brown! He needs the material)

I've been a fan of Robin Williams since Mork and Mindy ...and right now, I wish I could find the rainbow suspenders I had as a kid, go around to people and announce, "I'm Mork, from Ork - Nano nano!"

Because the best way I can mourn Robin Williams is not just to declare what a great comedian he was, or even how I'll miss him....but by working harder to be a better human being, and actually reaching out to people I know are having a tough time (because, let's face it, many of us are having our own dark nights of the soul..

Relieving someone's dark times for a few moments - and remembering our common humanity - is the best tribute I can give him.